The Effect of Ion Implantation on the Fatigue Behavior of Metals and Alloys

The effect of ion implantation on the strain and stress controlled fatigue behavior of polycrystalline copper has been investigated. The cyclic stress-strain response, strain-life and stress-life relationships and fatigue crack nucleation behavior have been studied. The results from the non-implanted materials have been compared with those from the implanted materials. Four implant species, one with a positive misfit, one with a negative misfit, one with a zero misfit, and one insoluble under equilibrium conditions have been used. Most of the fatigue tests were performed in laboratory air. Ion implantation changes the surface deformation behavior for both monotonic and cyclic loading with a corresponding change in hardening rate. Larger changes are observed for the cyclic loading. Implantations which lead to a more homogeneous deformation (fine slip) near the surface, improves the resistance to fatigue crack initiation. Surface compressive residual stresses, induced from implanting a positive misfit species, have a major influence on crack initiation in the stress-life regime.